Fabrication of patterned magnetic CoNiFe films by the thiol-assisted templated electrodeposition method is described. This method involves electrodeposition of the alloy components from their ionic species in solution on a dodecanethiol-covered Cu template. The ultrathin alkanethiol layer enables nano/micrometer pattern transfer and easy detachment of the magnetic film from the template. This method opens the possibility of fabricating nano/micropatterned chemically complex alloy structures in an extremely easy way with very few intermediate steps. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.